# Texas Journeyman Electrician Exam: Format, Fees and How to Pass

> The Texas Journeyman Electrician exam is two separate PSI portions, NEC Knowledge (59 items, 130 minutes) and Calculations (26 items, 110 minutes), and you need 70% on each. It costs $78 for both portions, it is open book with your own 2026 NEC, and only about 1 in 5 candidates passed the Calculations portion in FY2025.

Updated: 2026-11-09

The Texas Journeyman Electrician exam is given by PSI for TDLR. Since September 1, 2026 it is based on the 2026 NEC. It has two portions that are scored separately, and the Calculations portion is where most people fail.

## Key facts

- Two portions: NEC Knowledge (59 items, 130 minutes) and Calculations (26 items, 110 minutes).
- You need 70% on each portion. Each one is passed on its own.
- The exam fee is $78 for both portions. A retake is $78 whether you failed one portion or both.
- Open book: your own soft-bound NEC, with only the publisher's permanent index tabs.
- Offered in English or Spanish at no extra cost. You pick the language when you schedule.
- In FY2025, 24.46% passed the NEC portion and 20.56% passed Calculations (TDLR statistics).

## Exam format, part by part

Both portions are multiple choice, on a computer, at a PSI test center in Texas. Each portion includes a few non-scored pilot questions. PSI says the time for those questions is already added to the time allowed, and you cannot tell which ones they are.

| Portion | Items (scored + non-scored) | Minutes | Minutes per item |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEC Knowledge | 59 (56 + 3) | 130 | about 2.2 |
| Calculations | 26 (24 + 2) | 110 | about 4.2 (4.6 per scored item) |

Time does not carry over. If you finish the first portion early, the leftover minutes are lost, so use them to recheck answers.

TDLR's exam page says the journeyman exam was split into these two portions on March 11, 2025. The Spanish PSI bulletin prints a different effective date, but that only matters for history. TDLR's July 2025 newsletter said the overall time did not change with the split and works out to about 2 minutes per knowledge question and about 4 minutes per calculation.

## What the content outline covers

The PSI bulletin lists how many scored items come from each subject area. The area names below are paraphrased.

| Subject area | NEC Knowledge | Calculations |
|---|---|---|
| Definitions, theory and plan reading | 3 | 2 |
| Services and separately derived systems (load, grounding and bonding, transformers) | 6 | 4 |
| Feeders (load and overcurrent protection) | 3 | 3 |
| Branch circuits and conductors | 10 | 4 |
| Wiring methods and materials (raceways, boxes, cables) | 10 | 2 |
| Equipment and devices (receptacles, luminaires, A/C, appliances) | 10 | 2 |
| Motors and generators | 5 | 2 |
| Controls and disconnecting means | 1 | 1 |
| Special occupancies (pools, RVs and mobile homes, data processing) | 6 | 3 |
| Renewable energy (PV, EV chargers) | 2 | 1 |
| **Total scored** | **56** | **24** |

Two things stand out. In NEC Knowledge, branch circuits, wiring methods and equipment make up 30 of the 56 scored items. In Calculations, services, feeders and branch circuits make up 11 of 24, and those are mostly load and conductor problems.

The bulletin also gives two instructions that change answers: do not apply code exceptions or optional calculation methods unless the question tells you to, and treat every conductor as copper unless the question says otherwise.

## Fees, eligibility and scheduling

- **Exam fee:** $78 for both portions, paid to PSI. The TDLR application fee is $30 and separate.
- **When you can test:** TDLR lets you test at 7,000 hours of experience. The license itself needs 8,000 hours under a Master Electrician. See [journeyman license requirements](https://texaselectricianexam.com/guides/texas-journeyman-license-requirements/).
- **Eligibility window:** TDLR gives you one year from the date it receives your application to meet every requirement, including the exam.
- **Scheduling:** after TDLR approves you, schedule with PSI online or by phone. Cancel or reschedule at least 2 days before, or you lose the fee.

## Open-book and calculator rules in short

You bring your own soft-bound NEC. You may highlight, underline and write notes in it before the exam, but not during it. Tabs must be the permanent index tabs made or supplied by the NEC publisher. Homemade tabs, spiral or ring binding, loose-leaf copies, the NEC Handbook and any added paper are not allowed. Details are in [open-book NEC rules and tabs](https://texaselectricianexam.com/guides/open-book-nec-rules-and-tabs/).

Calculators must be silent, battery-powered and non-programmable, with no paper tape and no alphabetic keyboard. See [calculator rules](https://texaselectricianexam.com/guides/calculator-rules/).

## Pass rates

TDLR publishes yearly statistics. "Taken" means passed plus failed. No-shows are left out, and the tables have no separate first-time column. The fiscal year runs September 1 to August 31.

| Fiscal year | Exam | Taken | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2022 | Journeyman (single exam) | 7,048 | 30.28% |
| FY2023 | Journeyman (single exam) | 7,799 | 29.58% |
| FY2024 | Journeyman (single exam) | 8,490 | 27.86% |
| FY2025 | Journeyman, before the split | 5,050 | 27.52% |
| FY2025 | Journeyman NEC portion | 5,731 | 24.46% |
| FY2025 | Journeyman Calculations portion | 6,328 | 20.56% |

Since the split, Calculations has the lowest rate, and it was taken more often than the NEC portion. TDLR does not say why, but repeat attempts at Calculations would explain it. Our [pass rates page](https://texaselectricianexam.com/pass-rates/) has every exam and year.

## How to study the NEC Knowledge portion

About 2.2 minutes per item is enough to look most answers up, if you know where to look. The skill being tested is finding the right article fast.

1. Learn the layout of the book: the chapter order, where the definitions are, and how the index words things.
2. Drill lookups against the clock in our [code lookup drills](https://texaselectricianexam.com/code-lookup/). Aim to land on the right section in under a minute.
3. Weight your time like the outline: branch circuits, wiring methods and equipment first.
4. Read our [2026 NEC changes](https://texaselectricianexam.com/nec-2026-changes/) page. TDLR's November 2026 newsletter notes that dwelling load calculations now sit in Article 120.
5. Take timed runs on the [journeyman practice test](https://texaselectricianexam.com/practice-test/journeyman/).

## How to study the Calculations portion

With 24 scored items, 70% works out to about 17 correct. PSI does not publish how it rounds, so aim well above that.

Each problem gets about 4.2 minutes. That leaves no time to work out a method from scratch, so the method has to be automatic before exam day. Drill each type until the steps come without thinking:

- Theory: [Ohm's law](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/ohms-law/), [series and parallel circuits](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/series-parallel-circuits/), [three-phase power](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/three-phase-power/)
- Services and feeders: [dwelling standard load](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/dwelling-standard-load/), [neutral load](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/neutral-load/), [OCPD sizing](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/ocpd-sizing/), [transformer current](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/transformer-current/)
- Branch circuits and conductors: [conductor sizing](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/conductor-sizing/), [ampacity correction](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/ampacity-correction/), [voltage drop](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/voltage-drop/), [continuous loads](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/continuous-loads/), [EGC sizing](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/egc-sizing/)
- Raceways and boxes: [box fill](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/box-fill/), [conduit fill](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/conduit-fill/)
- Appliances and motors: [range demand](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/range-demand/), [dryer demand](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/dryer-demand/), [motor branch circuit](https://texaselectricianexam.com/calculations/motor-branch-circuit/)

Every drill is generated fresh with worked steps, so you can repeat a topic until you stop missing it. Keep the [formula sheet](https://texaselectricianexam.com/formula-sheet/) next to you while you practice, then work without it. For time budgets and the common traps, read [how to pass the calculations exam](https://texaselectricianexam.com/guides/how-to-pass-the-calculations-exam/).

## Before exam day

Read [exam day at PSI](https://texaselectricianexam.com/guides/exam-day-at-psi/) for ID and check-in rules. If you do not pass, the score report shows your weak areas, and [retaking the exam](https://texaselectricianexam.com/guides/retaking-the-texas-electrician-exam/) explains fees and what TDLR and PSI do not say about passed portions.

TexasElectricianExam is an independent study site. It is not affiliated with TDLR, PSI or NFPA.

## Questions people ask

### How many questions are on the Texas journeyman electrician exam?

85 in total across two portions. NEC Knowledge has 59 items (56 scored, 3 non-scored) in 130 minutes. Calculations has 26 items (24 scored, 2 non-scored) in 110 minutes. Source: PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, updated 9/15/2026.

### Do I have to pass both portions?

Yes. PSI and TDLR say you need at least 70% on each portion separately. A high score on one portion does not make up for a low score on the other.

### How much does the journeyman exam cost?

The PSI exam fee is $78 for both portions. The retake fee is also $78, whether you failed one portion or both. The TDLR application fee ($30) is separate.

### Can I use my code book on the journeyman exam?

Yes. The exam is open book with your own soft-bound NEC. Questions are based on the 2026 NEC that TDLR adopted. Only the NEC publisher's permanent index tabs are allowed, and the NEC Handbook is not allowed.

### Is the Texas journeyman exam offered in Spanish?

Yes. PSI offers the exams in English and Spanish at no extra cost. You choose the language when you schedule.

## Sources

- [PSI, TDLR Electrician Candidate Information Bulletin (English), updated 9/15/2026](https://test-takers.psiexams.com/api/content/bulletin/1682) (checked 2026-11-09)
- [TDLR, Electrician Exam Information](https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/elecexam.htm) (checked 2026-11-09)
- [TDLR newsletter, July 2025 (journeyman exam split)](https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/TXDLR/bulletins/3e4429c) (checked 2026-11-09)
- [TDLR, Journeyman Electrician license application](https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/apply/individuals/journeyman-electrician.htm) (checked 2026-11-09)
- [TDLR, Electrician exam statistics FY2025](https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/elecExamStats2025.htm) (checked 2026-11-09)
- [TDLR, Electrician exam statistics FY2024](https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/elecExamStats2024.htm) (checked 2026-11-09)
- [TDLR, Electrician exam statistics FY2023](https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/elecExamStats2023.htm) (checked 2026-11-09)
- [TDLR, Electrician exam statistics FY2022](https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/elecExamStats2022.htm) (checked 2026-11-09)

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